TASTE TRI-VALLEY RESTAURANT WEEK
CHEF SPOTLIGHT
Chef Maurice dissels
Founder & Executive Chef
Oyo, Pleasanton
Early Inspiration & Culinary Beginnings
For Chef Maurice Dissels, food has always been about family, culture, and community. Growing up in a home with ten siblings, he quickly learned that helping in the kitchen was the best way to secure a spot at the dinner table. Inspired by his Grandmother “Oyo”, he developed a passion for cooking that would eventually shape his career.
His first food memory? A spicy chili sauce his grandmother fed him as a child—one that brought him to tears at the time, but ignited a lifelong love for bold, complex flavors.
building a career across continents
Born in British Guyana, Chef Maurice formally studied culinary arts and food science with a strong foundation in Cajun and Caribbean cuisine. His career took him from Chicago to Colorado to California, refining his skills at the Culinary Institute in Chicago and Greystone in Napa Valley.
Locally, he has left his mark at several renowned Bay Area restaurants, serving as Executive Chef at the Historic Pleasanton Hotel (8 years) and Birk’s (16 years). Working in culturally diverse kitchens, he developed a deep appreciation for the people, traditions, and flavors that make every dining experience unique.
Oyo: A celebration of guyanese & south american cuisine
Chef Maurice’s cooking philosophy is rooted in “muxalace”—a Guyanese phrase meaning “let’s lace this pot up with a little bit of everything.” His restaurant, Oyo, embodies this approach, blending the flavors of South America, the Caribbean, and West Africa into a menu rich with history and soul. From curries and lo mein to jerk chicken and pepper pot, his dishes pay homage to the diverse heritage of Guyanese cuisine.
beyond the kitchen
Chef Maurice doesn’t often cook at home, but if he did, he says he’d make a tropical salad. His must-have ingredient? Sugar and spice and everything nice. His go-to kitchen tool? A vitamin machine.
If he weren’t a chef, he could see himself as an artist—a fitting alternative, given how much creativity he brings to his food.
Join CHEF worth AT TASTE TRI-VALLEY
At this year’s Taste Tri-Valley Restaurant Week, Chef Maurice Dissels will host the Taste Tri-Valley Cocktail Party at Oyo, an exciting South American street food jubilee featuring bold flavors, craft cocktails, and vibrant live music.
